The German Society of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine condemned circumcision, and some say political movements simply reflect a culture traditionally inclined to tell people how to behave. But some Jewish Germans are less sure of the underpinnings.

The investigation into the 2005 assassination of the Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri is nearing its end—and a trial in international court looms. Insiders say the trail of evidence leads, ultimately, to the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. But having spent three years fearing for their lives, the investigators are now grappling with a different fear: that Western concerns about regional stability will prevent the naming of the biggest names. Inside the investigation that could blow up the Middle East